Superheater



Feb. M, E936. w. H. ARMACOST SUPERHEATER Filed Aug. l2, 1931 Patented Feb. 11, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SUPERHEATER Application August 12, 1931, Serial No. 556,583

6 Claims.

The present invention has general reference to the art of superheating, and more particularly, is concerned with a method of and means for suspending a superheater arrangement within a 5 boiler setting.

Heretofore, many forms of boiler constructions, the superheating units were carried by the water tubes. A disadvantage with this form of construction is that the weight of the superheat- 101 ing units is directly on the water tubes. Inpractice, however, it is highly desirable that the weight of the superheating units be removed from andl independent of the water tubes.

The method contemplated by the present in- 1:5 vention is unlike any of the prior methods of which I am aware, primarily in the fact that one element of the superheating arrangement is utilized to carry and support oneor more of its superheating units'. From a specific point of view, this 20 is accomplished by disposing one element of the arrangement betweenx a pair of immovable steam headers and operatively associated with said element areone or more slightly swingable members or hangers having suitable means for holding and suspending the superheating units. With sucha design, a superheater arrangement is independent of support from the evaporating elements or water tubes. This constitutes an object of my invention.

How all this is accomplished will be best understood from the following specific description of a preferred method and means for carrying my invention into effect, and althoughsuch preferred method and means is disclosed merely as illustrative of the' invention and is not to be 'considered as a limitation thereon, the invention will be best understood from a consideration of such speciiic procedure' and to aid in comprehending the chief and underlying principles thereof, reference is made to the following specic description'taken with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a water tube boiler illustrating a superheater arrangement interposed between a pair of water tube banks;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary View of a modified support for a superheater arrangement;

Fig. 3` is a View similar to Fig. 2 illustrating, however, another modification;

Fig. 4 is a view taken along the line X, Fig.. 1, in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a front View of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a view partly in section of one of the fixed headers showing an end of the common support of the superheating units and ends of the units Iconnected thereto.

Fig. 7 is a reduced` view of two steam pipe hangers spaced apart.

Fig. 8 is a View of the hangers brought together.

Figure 9 illustrates a further modification; and

Figure l is a sectional View on line III- IIJ in Figure 9.

In the drawing, I0 generally denotes a water tube boiler having the usual spaced banks of inclinedY water tubes` II `and I 2 disposed' above a furnace chamber, as isv well understood. Operatively connected tothe ends of the tubes of the several banks are the water legs or headers I3 and I4. Header I3 is connected to spaced,- steam return tubesk I which in turn lead to and connect with the steam and water drum I6 and in communication with the latter is the water leg or downcomer header I4.

A. steam outlet or conduit I1 guides the saturated steam from the steam drum I6 to the xed header I8 disposed between the banks of tubes and within the path of the products of combustion.

As illustrated, a superheater arrangement broadly designated I9 is placed between the banks of water tubes and between the water leg or riser header i3 and the wall 20 intermediate the water legs I3 and I4. Wall 20 includes an opening inwhich twov juxtaposed conventional baille plates 2| are suitably secured in any well known fashion. Placed above the upper baiile plate 2| and supported thereby in the opening of the intermediate baille wall is a perforated baiile casting 22 adapted to receive and guide one end of the upper tube 23 of the superheater arrangement I9, the tube 23 being. a common support for several suspended tube units 24 oi the superheating arrangement I 9. The other endY of the commo-n support 23 of the superheating units extends through a perforation in a sealing plate 25 suitably attached to water leg I3 and connects with the fixed superheated steam header 26.

A steam tight connection between the headers I8 and 26 and the common support 23 for the superheater units is made by beading or rolling the ends of pipe 23, as exemplified in Fig. 6, by the turned over or lip portion 21 which is secured against the inner marginal face of opening 28.

The superheater arrangement I9 comprises a plurality of spaced units, broadly denoted 24, each of which includes a plurality of spaced tubes 29 in communication with one another and arranged in a wellknown serpentine fashion. EX- tending from the satur-atedV steam header I8 are a plurality of steam pipes or conduits as 30, one of which is individual to a superheating unit 24 and. each of these pipes is connected to the lowest tube of a respective unit. The manner in which conduits 30 are connected to the header I8 to form a steam tight joint need not be given in detail and forms no part of my invention. To prevent header I8 from moving, it is mounted on a bracket 3| which is attached to the vertically disposed beam 32.

Also, individual to each superheating unit is an outlet conduit as 33, all of which are received and guided by a pair of juxtaposed baiile plates 34 and are connected to the xed superheated steam header 26 in a manner similar to the steam tight joint of the conduits 30 to their header I8. The upper baille plate 34 is securedto the sealing plate 25 and lower baille plate is secured to the sealing plate 35 which is suitably carried by the water leg I3. Bracket 36 immovably supports'header 26, and the former is xedly braced against the upright support of beam 31.

Common to each of the several units of the superheating arrangement, and removably supported by one element or pipe 23 thereof are spaced pairs of hangers generally denoted 38 and each pair includes complementary members 39 and 4I) for supporting three upper superheated steam pipes as 29 of the several units. Complementary members 39 and 40 are identical in construction and each comprises a hook 4I integrally connected with a lower ared portion comprising laterally disposed arms 42 and 43 with each arm having a pipe receiving groove as 44 and 45. In actual practice the hooks of the complementary members are suspended from the opposite sides of tube 23 and in such fashion that the grooves or notches 44 of adjacent arms 42 are in aline ment for reception of the upper .tube of the middle column or unit of superheating tubes of the arrangement disclosed in Fig. 4.

The outer arms 43 of each hanger also support the highest tube of the other units disposed on each side of the intermediate column in grooves 45. It is, therefore, evident that .with the hangers arranged as illustrated and hereinbefore described three superheating steampipe units may be suspended from their common supporting pipe 23 and two spaced pairs of primary hangers as 38 are removably secured to the latter in order that the weight of and strains caused by the several units are suitably distributed over `pipe 23. Although three superheating units only are disclosed, obviously it is within the province of the invention to suspend less than three, or more than three units from the pipe 23.

Each unit includes several spaced superimposed tubes and between adjacent tubes of each unit a slip hanger connection, generally denoted 50, is provided. In the superheating arrangement disclosed, the highest and intermediate tubes of each unit include a depending web 46. The tube to be supported by a higher tube of a unit comprises spaced members as 41 having inwardly extending anges 49 adapted to removably embrace the lowered flared portions 48 of an adjacent web. Members 4l are welded or otherwise suitably secured to the upper portions of their respective tubes. Webs 46 are preferably welded or otherwise suitably astened to the lower portions of their respective tubes.

The slip hangers 50 prevent the lower tubes of respective units from sagging, concomitantly permitting movement of one tube longitudinally with respect to an adjacent tube of a unit due to expansion.

As illustrated, nine spaced tubes constitute one unit but it should be understood that the invention is not limited to this number for each unit may be increased or decreased in capacity according to results desired.

With the superheating embodiment disclosed in Fig. 1 the load of the several superheating units as carried by supporting pipe 23 flexes the latter to assume a shape resembling a catenary curve.

In some instance, however, pipe 23, before beingattached to the fixed headers, is bent to the form shown in Fig. 2, to wit: the end portions 6G being at an obtuse angle with respect to their common intermediate connecting portion, this angle being indicated at Y. Or alternatively, the pipe 23 may be designed of. such strength to take the load of the several superheating units without appreciably bending from its normal contour, the latter being unbroken and straight throughout its entire length. (See Fig. 3.)

In operation, saturated steam from the drum I6 is directed through conduit I'I to the first xed header I8. From the latter this steam passes into the several units of the superheating arrangement through intakes 30. In passing through the several units, the steam is superheated to the desired temperature and is directed to the xed header 26 through the outlet conduits 33. A supply conduit 52 directs the superheated steam from the fixed header 26 to the point of use.

It should be observed that a portion of thev saturated steam from the fixed header I8 will be bi-passed to pipe 23 to the header 26, and this steam by reason of its velocity prevents pipe 23 from rapidly deteriorating, as is well understood. Steam in pipe 23 is also raised in temperature, and the amount therein intermingling with the steam in header 26 from the superheating units has substantially no eiect in decreasing the desired temperature of the superheated steam.

In Figs. 9 and 10, the fragmentary portion of the superheating arrangement illustrated, includes a solid Aheat resisting rod 60, the ends of which are fastened to straps 6I mounted on the xed headers I8 and 26. Solid rod 60, like the tubular element 23, shown in Figs. 1-3 inclusive, supports the several superheating units as 24. It is within the province of the invention to have the solid rod 6U straight, in the form of a catenary or bent and provided with inlined ends. With the rod solid and heat resisting, springs (not shown) ordinarily used in connection with the steam headers may be rdispensed with.

It should be understood that although the superheating arrangement has been described as being mounted free of evaporating elements of a water tube boiler with two banks of water tubes, the invention is applicable to any and all boiler constructions where the load of the superheating arrangement is to be suspended from an element thereof and independently of any support from the evaporating elements.

The foregoing description has been given by way of example for purposes of illustration only. Hence no unnecessary limitations should be understood, and the appended claims should be construed as broadly as the state of the art permits.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, a boiler having a plurality of banks of water tubes, spaced xed headers, a superheater arrangement independently Vsupported and free of said tubes and having one element connected to said headers, and superheating units carried by said element and operatively connected with said headers, said element being flexed into a catenary curve by the weight of said units.

2. In combination, a boiler having a plurality of banks of water tubes, spaced xed headers, a superheater arrangement independently supported and free of said tubes and having one element connected to said headers, and superheating units carried by said element and operatively connected with said headers, the combination being further characterized in that said element comprises a straight pipe.

3. 'Ihe combination of a boiler having two spaced banks of generating tubes one above the other, a superheater comprising a pair of horizontally spaced horizontal tubular headers and having multi-loop units connected between said headers in the space between said banks, means extending above said units, connections for transferring the weight of said units to said means, connections for transferring the weight on said means to said headers, and means for supporting said headers independent of said tube banks.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 3 but in which the means above the multi-loop units is part of the steam heating surface of the superheater.

5. The combination of a boiler having two spaced banks of generating tubes one above the other, a superheater including a pair of horizontally spaced horizontal tubular headers and having multi-loop units connected between said headers lying in the space between said banks, substantially straight supporting means running above said units and extending from one of said headers to the other, connections for transferring the weight of said units to said means, connections between the ends of said means and said headers for transferring the weight on said means to said headers, and means for supporting said headers independent of said tube banks.

6. The combination as set forth in claim 5 and in which the substantially straight supporting means is tubular and arranged to conduct a portion of the steam from one of the headers to the other.

WILBUR H. ARMACOST. 

